Serendipity
by asylynn
Summary: A mission from Sunagakure. A long walk home. A confession. A love. Shikamaru x Ino.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hiya, everyone! I've been wanting to write a fic for one of my Naruto OTP's, ShikaIno, for awhile now and the time has finally come!**

**Just some notes:**  
**-This will be multi-chaptered, but at the moment I don't know of the exact chapter amount.**  
**-Contains strong sexual content.**  
**-Takes place in canon-verse, starting a couple months before the war. There will be some spoilers if you're not caught up with the manga.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**Serendipity: _noun_. A "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise"; a fortunate mistake. Specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful while not specifically searching for it. :-)**

* * *

The sand rolled in waves, collecting in pockets of dust that littered the corners of the Village Hidden in the Sand, so rightfully named. Shikamaru hated sand. He longed for the cool breeze of the distant Leaf Village, the shrubbery, the green, the shade that was cast from the endless trees. _Finally, this mission is over_, he thought. He had traveled here alone with Ino; Chouji was lazing around in the comfort of his own home, sick from eating too much barbeque. Or maybe he was faking it.

Ino trailed slightly behind as Shikamaru walked side by side with Temari, who had volunteered to escort them out of the village. She crossed her arms in annoyance, feeling slightly left out. There was just something about Temari that Ino didn't like, but she couldn't figure out what it was. She was nice enough; not entirely friendly, but nice. And there wasn't a single thing that she could pinpoint that she _didn't_ like about her… So why did she feel a tug of irritation whenever Temari was around? Ino shrugged it off, convincing herself that it was only because she never fully got over the fact that the sand siblings were their enemies at one point in time. It _certainly _wasn't because of the way she walked a little too close to Shikamaru, smiling casually, flirting subtly.

Ino wasn't jealous; she laughed at the thought. If she was jealous, that would mean that she liked Shikamaru, but she didn't. She couldn't. The idea itself was absurd. She was only protective over him because he was a teammate and a friend… After all, he _was_ just a friend, right?

They reached the entrance to the Sand Village, nodding at the guards and pausing to say goodbye.

"Thanks again for the help," Temari said, more to Shikamaru than Ino.

"No problem," Shikamaru replied.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around. Goodbye, Shikamaru, Ino."

They bid her farewell and turned begrudgingly to the miles of desert that stretched out before them like a bad dream, seemingly endless. Ino glanced over her shoulder, making sure that Temari's retreating back was a safe distance away. "Ya know," she said, watching Shikamaru out of the corner of her eye. "I think she likes you."

"Huh? Temari? Nah, she just thinks I'm reliable."

Ino shrugged her shoulders, not entirely sure why she bothered to press the subject. "…Why don't you ask her out?"

"Eh…She…She's not my type, I guess."

Shikamaru had to stop himself from saying 'she's not _you_.'

They had tracked through the desert for nearly two hours when strong currents of wind poured in from the surrounding mountainside, collecting swirling gusts of sand as it came. It spun in miniature tornadoes, drifting left, right, and back again, all the while pelting Shikamaru and Ino with grains of sand from every angle.

"Blegh," Ino coughed, covering her face with her hands. "I just ate sand!"

"Man, I hate the desert," Shikamaru lamented, stopping in place. "We need to take cover." He glanced around the vast stretch of earth, raising his forearm to shield the sun and sand from his eyes. In the distance, he spotted a small cave carved into the mountainside, and hoped that it wasn't just a mirage.

"Come on," he said, taking hold of Ino's hand. "You can keep your eyes covered, just follow me."

She held her arm over her face as Shikamaru led her across the desert, through the pelting wind and sand, until they reached the protective shade of the shallow cavern. Stepping inside, Ino glanced halfheartedly around the small, dusty space.

"What do we do now?"

"We wait. Rule number one of the desert: If there's a sand storm, you stay put."

Shikamaru knelt down to the floor and Ino followed, sitting with her back against the opposite wall. They pulled bottles of water out of their rucksacks, taking a much needed drink.

"How long will it take to pass?" Ino asked him, peering out at the thick gusts of wind.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure. But this isn't so bad. We could use this time to rest, anyway."

She rolled her eyes. "You love any excuse to lay down and do nothing."

He smirked. "Took you this long to figure that out, huh?"

They dug into their rucksacks, both extracting a sleeping cot and a blanket, and laid them out across the dirt floor of the cave, leaving a deliberate space between them. Shikamaru immediately rolled over and closed his eyes, happy to be out of the direct sunlight. He never had a problem getting comfortable; he could take a nap pretty much anywhere. Ino, on the other hand, found it nearly impossible to fall asleep in that moment. She closed her eyes, but was perturbed by the constant whistling of the rolling wind, the sand occasionally dusting across her face. She lay in a cold sweat, still clinging to her body from their trek, and each time a gust of wind blew into the cave, she shivered slightly. She wrapped her blanket closer around her, but it was too thin to make much of a difference. She sighed in irritation. Who would have ever thought it was possible to feel cold in a desert?

Restlessly, she rolled over, glancing at Shikamaru's back. "Shikamaru," she whispered.

"Hn?" He grunted, his arms folded across his chest.

"Are you asleep?"

"Yes."

She rolled her eyes. "Liar. Quit being so lazy."

"I'm supposed to be lazy, Ino. I'm sleeping."

"Shika…" she said in a coy voice.

Shikamaru felt the corners of his lips turn up into an irresistible smile, thankful that his face was hidden. He could never tell her how much he loved it when she called him 'Shika.'

He sighed, feigning annoyance. "What's wrong?"

"I'm cold."

He lazily lifted the corner of his blanket with his hand. "You want my blanket?"

"Then _you'll_ be cold."

"But you'll be warm."

She bit her lip as she crawled closer to Shikamaru, pushing her sleeping cot beside his own. He rolled onto his back, looking up at her curiously. "What are you doing?"

"Share!" she exclaimed, slipping under his blanket and throwing hers over top of them both.

Their arms touched under the layers of cloth, the backs of their fingers grazing lightly against each other. Shikamaru now found himself wide awake and incredibly appreciative of the newfound warmth beside him. He lay very still, overly conscious of his movements.

"See, isn't this better?" she teased.

_Yes, definitely_, he thought. "Tch. I guess so."

She smirked. "Yeah, whatever. Go back to sleep."

_What was this feeling_, Ino wondered. It fluttered in her stomach and rose up through her chest, light and warm… She had never slept next to a boy, before. There was something strangely exciting about it that she couldn't quite describe; laying beside each other, sharing blankets, chests rising and falling in synch, his hand twitching slightly against her own, drawn to the warmth that radiated between them. She resisted an unexplainable urge to entwine their fingers, and quickly pushed the thought out of her head, waiting for him to roll over again, face his back to her. But this time, he didn't move.

And this time, she had no problem falling asleep.

* * *

Shikamaru woke up an hour later, having forgotten where he fell asleep, and wondering why there was a slight weight on his arm. His eyes peered open and he glanced down, immediately greeted by a swooping sensation in his stomach. Ino was turned into him with her head resting on his shoulder, her hands curled up against his side, breathing calmly against him in her sleep. His own hand was draped across her hip; he must have wrapped it around her at some point during their nap. His heart clenched at the thought. Long locks of blonde hair fell down her back, tickling the crook of his arm. He inhaled a flowery scent—A smell he knew all too well, the scent of Ino. He could spot her in a crowd just by the way she smelled; subtle, pretty, and sweet.

His eyebrows knitted together, knowing that if he had the choice, he would have stayed like this forever. Just like this. He didn't want to wake her up; she looked so peaceful in her sleep. And he would miss the feeling of having her against him, but he knew that it was selfish. After all, she was unaware of their position; she'd pull away from him as soon as she woke up. And besides, they needed to leave this place. The sand storm had finally ceased, and the sun was beginning to set. It would be dark, soon. Reluctantly, Shikamaru moved his hand to her wrist, giving it a little squeeze.

"Ino," he said quietly.

"Hm?" she mumbled.

"We gotta go, now."

She opened her eyes, a little disoriented, and not sure how she ended up sleeping inside the crook of Shikamaru's arm. She must have leaned into him in her sleep. She pulled away, feeling embarrassed. "Sorry," she muttered, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"Don't worry about it," he said, not looking at her. He stuffed his cot and blanket back into his rucksack. "Let's just get out of this damned desert, already."

She yawned. "Sounds good to me."

They made their way out of the cave and set out on the journey home, traveling mostly in silence. Ino couldn't figure out why Shikamaru was being so quiet. Unbeknownst to her, inside of his head, a small battle was raging.

The truth was, he had liked Ino for as long as he could remember. Hell, he liked her before he even knew _why_ he liked her. She was a bossy, troublesome girl at times, but he liked her. And always, she had her heart set on someone else. Someone cooler, better looking, best in the class. Sure, that someone had defected from the village a long time ago, but Shikamaru knew that she still cared about him. So, he kept his distance. Offering the shoulder of a friend, but never the heart of a lover. He spent years trying to suppress his feelings, push them to the back of his mind, convince himself he didn't like her, anymore. He had gotten pretty good at it, too.

But then they set out on this mission together, alone, just the two of them for the very first time. And when he woke up with her lying in his arms, not wanting to let her go, he knew that he had never lost feelings for her at all. Not even once. If anything, they had grown stronger.

And there was nothing he could do.

* * *

The sun sank behind the mountainside, imprinting a coral blush across the cloud-scattered sky, as Shikamaru and Ino finally made their way out of the desert. They continued their trek, late into the night, until they reached a small clearing in a forest of pine. Hungry and exhausted, they decided to set up camp for the night. Shikamaru started a small fire, while Ino extracted the remaining food rations from their rucksacks. They pulled up a log and sat by the firepit, chewing in silence. Ino watched Shikamaru out of the corner of her eye. He stared into the fire, eyes out of focus; seemingly distracted. So, she poked him in the arm.

"Hn?" he mumbled, pulled from his reverie.

"You're so quiet!"

He rubbed his face with his hand. "Sorry… I'm just tired."

"Hm. Me too. But how can I sleep when I feel so gross?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "You look fine to me."

She wrinkled her nose. "I'm covered in sweat and sand."

He reached his arm over his head to stretch the muscles in his shoulders, yawning lazily. "Well, there's a lake over there to bathe in," he said with a point. "I'll let you go first."

Ino peered into the unknown of the dark, following the direction of his point. "I don't want to go alone! It's scary over there."

Shikamaru stiffened, looking back at her with wide eyes. "You—You mean you want me to go _with_ you?"

She stood up from the log, pulling him to his feet. "What's the big deal? We won't be able to see anything, it's dark."

How was it so easy for her to tempt him into madness without even realizing it? Shikamaru didn't know. But he could feel the blush rising in his cheeks as Ino followed him to the lake, grateful that it was too dark for her to notice. She stayed close to his side, perturbed by the sounds of the surrounding forest, until they reached a clearing in the trees, revealing a small lake. The water was still and calm, the full moon and scattered stars reflected across its surface from above.

"Do you think it's…Safe?" Ino asked, looking warily at the water.

Shikamaru shrugged, pulling off his vest. "Guess we're about to find out."

She slipped out of her shoes. "Oh, yeah. 'Cause that makes me feel _so_ much better."

"We're _shinobi_, Ino. Besides, you really think I'm gonna let anything happen to you?" He froze, cursing at himself internally for saying that.

Ino didn't say anything, her lips curled into a small smile. _Shikamaru can be kind of sweet, sometimes, _she thought.

The glow of the moon was their only source of light, illuminating their silhouettes. Still, they turned their backs to each other as they quickly slipped out of their clothes and into the cold water of the lake.

"Brr," Ino shivered with a splash. "Shit, it's freezing."

Shikamaru sank his head back into the water, trying not to watch as Ino pulled a small bottle of shampoo out of her bag and began to wash her hair. He could smell a flowery scent; the same scent he had smelled when he woke up with her head on his shoulder. He loved that scent. The curve of her breasts peaked out of the surface of the water as she lifted her arms to run her fingers through the long locks of blonde hair. And he turned away, biting his lip_. She's going to drive me insane_, he thought.

He cupped some water in his hands and splashed it on his face, hoping the cold would calm him down. He took a deep breath, but his heart rate wasn't prepared for what happened next. Ino had snuck up behind him; he could feel her fingers brushing through his hair.

He froze, not daring enough to turn around. "What are you doing?"

"_Your_ hair needs washing too, ya know."

"…Thanks," he said, trying to sound as naturally unconcerned as possible.

But damnit, why did it have to feel a million times better when someone else washed your hair for you? He wasn't sure. But he knew that the biggest reason it felt so good was because it was _her_. His eyes fluttered closed as she massaged his scalp, nails scratching at all those sensitive places. Her fingers slid down to the hair at the nape of his neck, knuckles gently brushing the skin there. He shivered involuntarily, and knew that it had _nothing _to do with the cold.

She giggled. "You like having your hair touched, don't you?"

He swallowed thickly. "It's not so bad, I guess."

Ino watched as soapsuds cascaded down Shikamaru's bare back, the way his muscles rippled slightly when he moved. She could sense the inviting heat of his body, radiating towards hers in the cold water, pulling her closer to him. And there was something inside, something she didn't recognize, that craved the feel of his warm skin against her own. In fact, she had to fight the urge to step closer, to drift her hands down his shoulders, and wrap herself securely around his waist. The ministrations of her hands began to slow; her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at her own strange thoughts.

She pulled her hands away, and he immediately missed her touch.

"Alright," she said from behind. "Close your eyes."

He did as he was told and felt her hands on his shoulders, gently dipping him back into the water to rinse the shampoo from his hair. He kept his eyes closed tight, knowing that if he opened them he would see Ino standing above him, naked, and still stroking his hair. He gulped back his nerves at the thought.

As he lay back in the water, Ino's eyes traveled curiously down the length of his chest, to the taut muscles of his abdomen, to the thin trail of hair that lay in the valley between his hips, peaking out of the surface of the lake. He had never been this exposed to her before. It was in that moment that she could fully appreciate how nice of a body he had; sculpted and strong. The moonlight fell across his face, illuminating the pink tint in his cheeks. And she smiled, biting her lip. "Shikamaru," she whispered down to him. "You're blushing."

He straightened back up then, not daring to look at her. If he did, he might do something crazy. Like touch her. "Tch. Can you blame me? You have no idea what you're doing to me," he said, a little vulnerable.

Now she was blushing, too. And without thinking, she gave into the temptation and reached her hands forward, placing them on his hips. Her breasts lightly pressed into the warmth of his back, the skin slickened and slippery. He shivered, eyes widening as he felt a twitch in his lower region. Oh _fuck_. If he didn't get away from her soon he was going to have an even _harder_ problem to hide.

He hung his head, taking her hands into his own and lifting them from his hips. "Troublesome," he sighed.

She watched his back, confused. "What is?"

He took a safe step forward before finally turning around, facing her for the first time, her hands still held in his palms and his eyes locking onto her own. "Wanting something you can't have."

He turned away without another word, climbing onto the bank of the lake and leaving her behind in the water, feeling thoroughly confused. She shivered, following after him. And once again, they kept their backs to each other as they dressed.

She immediately regretted touching him. Surely she must have crossed the line, made him feel uncomfortable. After all, friends aren't supposed to touch each other while they're _naked in a lake_… Still, she wished she knew _why_ she wanted to touch him. At first, she had blamed it on the chill of the water… But hadn't she been fighting a strange desire to touch him all day? And earlier—the annoyance she had felt towards Temari—Could it have actually been… Jealousy? And when she lay down beside him, with that feeling that rose inside her chest…

Was she…falling for Shikamaru?

_Why did she touch me_, Shikamaru wondered, frowning as he zipped up his pants, _she doesn't even like me_. He must have had a hell of a lot of self-control; in that moment, standing in the cold water, he had wanted nothing more than to turn around, wrap his arms around Ino's waist and pull her close to him. But, at the same time, he knew that if he touched her just once, he would never want to stop. And ultimately, he would become attached to something that didn't really want him. He knew that. _Troublesome_.

To be continued...

* * *

Well, that's it for chapter one! Hope you liked it :3


	2. Chapter 2

**Serendipity**

**Chapter Two**

A cool breeze drifted through the forest, swaying the treetops in tandem. Insects whispered in the surrounding woods as Shikamaru and Ino walked back to their campsite in silence, neither knowing what to say. Something had just transpired between them whilst they stood together, stark naked in a lake, skin bared to the cold, and bodies craving the warmth that the other offered like a vice. It was as palpable as it was undeniable…they had stepped foot into a dangerous territory where neither had ever tread before. Not with each other, nor anyone else.

Ino stayed close to Shikamaru's side, carefully watching his silhouette. His shoulders were held ridged and tight, so far removed from his usual relaxed stance. She bit her lip, wondering what he was thinking. They had nearly reached the campsite when her foot gave way on a patch of mud, sliding out from underneath her involuntarily. She fell backwards, and with reflexes known only to a shinobi, Shikamaru outstretched his arm, expertly catching her before she hit the floor. For a moment, he held onto her without moving. Surrounded by darkness, she could not see him. She could only feel him, the strong arm wrapped securely behind her back, and the warmth of his hand that had latched onto her hip, holding her in place. His breath lingered against her face, mere inches away from his own, before he slowly set her back down on her feet. She almost reached for him, but he had already turned and walked away, rather hurriedly. And her eyebrows furrowed in a mix of hurt and confusion.

When they reached the forest clearing, the makeshift fire Shikamaru had built was still burning in its pit, giving off an inviting heat. He sat down on the log beside it, holding out his hands to warm his palms against the flames.

Ino remained standing, watching him carefully. She took a deep breath, hoping to dispel the tension in the air. "…You're mad," she finally said.

His eyebrows drew together. "No, I'm not."

"I'm sorry."  
_  
_He wouldn't look at her. "There's nothing to apologize for."

She twisted her fingers nervously, thinking back to what he said in the lake…the way he reacted when she touched him. "But…what you said…about wanting something you can't have—"

"I told you, it's nothing."

"We have to talk about this! Otherwise things are just going to be awkward between us. And besides, I think I know why you said that…because I'm your friend and friends shouldn't do things like that…So, I'm sorry for crossing the line."

_Friend_. He suddenly hated that word. "You're wrong."

"How?"

"Because you love Sasuke," he said, stating it as more of a fact than an accusation. Still, he had blurted out the words before he could stop himself, and immediately regretted them.

She gaped at him, bewildered. "Huh? What does Sasuke have to do with this?"

He sighed, scratching at the back of his neck, and feeling that it was too late to stop himself from saying too much. "Ino…I didn't say that I wanted something I couldn't have because you're my friend. I said it because you're in love with someone else."

She crossed her arms over her chest in defiance. "I never said that I was _in love_ with Sasuke. Besides, even if I was…You—you say that as if you _like_ me," she said with a humorless laugh.

He held his forehead in the palm of his hand for a moment before finally looking up, staring at her as if she had just hit the nail on the head.

She watched him closely, realization slowly setting in, like she had sank back into cold water. Her arms dropped to her sides. "…You don't, right? I mean…you just _can't._"

He stood up then, with a certain look in his eyes that she had never seen before. Slowly, he crossed the dirt floor, closing the space between them. She took a few steps back until he had her up against a tree, both hands placed on the bark behind her head.

He took a deep breath, swallowing hard. "Ino…I've been crazy about you since I was seven years old," he said, as if it were the most obvious, logical thing in the world.

His words hung in the cold night's air; even the creatures of the forest seemed to have gone quiet. Ino searched his eyes for some sort of explanation, half expecting him to laugh, or shrug it off as a joke. But he kept his gaze steadied on her, his expression hard. And it was then that she realized just how close his body was to hers. If she leaned forward, she could easily capture his mouth with her own. She felt a swooping sensation in her stomach, her lips almost turning up into a smile. But still, she shook her head in disbelief, looking down to avoid his eyes."…You're lying," she whispered, speaking more to herself than to him.

He narrowed his eyes, hurt by her disbelief. "You really think so? Why? You think I'm only _faking_ having feelings so that I can take advantage of you or something?"

She looked back up, meeting his eyes and matching his defiance. "I didn't say that! I would _never_ think that of you!"

He dropped his hands and took a step back, frowning. "…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It's just…Damn…I tried to work up the nerve to tell you how I felt for years, and now you don't even believe me."

She shifted her feet uncomfortably. "You caught me off guard, I guess. I mean, like you said, we've known each other for years…all this time, and you…you never said _anything_."

Slowly, he nodded. "You're right, I didn't. And maybe I should have. Or maybe I was just hoping you would figure it out on your own since I didn't have the guts." He kept his eyes on the floor, looking defeated. "But I knew that if I told you and you rejected me, things would always be weird between us. I couldn't be selfish and mess up our teamwork just because of my feelings."

She gave him a steady look. "How can you be so sure I would have rejected you?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not Sasuke," he said simply.

"You don't have to be," she challenged.

"…You say that as if _you_ like _me_."

"What if I do?"

He shook his head. "Ino…Listen…You don't have to try to convince yourself that you like me now just because you know that I like you. Or because we're here, and we're alone, and it's in the moment…because as soon as we get back home and back to normal, you're going to realize it's not what you really want."

She smiled, sadly. "Shikamaru…you are the smartest person I'll ever know, but that doesn't mean you know _everything_."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't know exactly how I feel…and the truth is, I've been trying to figure out how I feel about you for awhile now," she admitted, the blush rising in her cheeks.

He stared at her, hanging onto her every word, forgetting to breathe. When he didn't say anything, she continued…

"You're right, this _is_ the first time we've been out together alone…and for some reason I was feeling _nervous_ about it. I couldn't understand why. I'm so used it being you, Chouji, and me. The three of us, just friends…You and I were always just friends…or, so I thought…but then, something changed. I don't know what, exactly…I thought it was all in my head. But you don't know how it makes me feel…to know that you felt the same way."

He turned away, running a hand through his hair, trying to process it all. He could feel his heart soaring out of his chest at her words, while his mind was simultaneously screaming at him to not get his hopes up. But then he felt Ino step up behind him, pressing her face into the small of his back.

"I like you…Shikamaru," she whispered.

He smiled before sighing, sadly. "I've always liked you, Ino. That's what scares me."

He tried to move away but she gripped his arm, turning him around to face her. "What are you so afraid of?"

He looked back down at her, brows furrowed in frustration. "Isn't it obvious?"

The flames from the fire reflected in her eyes as she gazed up at him, open and bewildered, asking him for the truth. And in that moment, he lost the will to hold back the secrets he had kept from her for years. He took a step back, rubbing his forehead with his fingertips before he dropped his hand, meeting her eyes once again.

"…When I was a kid, you were the girl in class that I couldn't stop staring at, the one I thought about at night when I couldn't sleep…And I know I tried to hide it, but when we were put on the same team, I felt _so fucking_ _relieved_. Because it meant that I could spend time with you, and maybe I could even _protect_ you…But what I didn't realize at the time, was that it also meant I would end up falling for you even harder." He paused to take a breath, and when he spoke again, his voice grew softer, more vulnerable than before. "…You're the only thing I've ever wanted like this…so…so what if I have you, and then you change your mind? Having you, only to lose you, would hurt so much worse than never having you at all."

Ino clung to his every word like a lifeline. She had never seen Shikamaru like this, before; so removed from his usual armor and defenses. It made her stomach clench. "…I'm never going to hurt you," she whispered.

He shook his head. "Maybe not intentionally. But you can't help how you feel. If you lost feelings or realized that you just didn't like me anymore—"

She cut him off, reaching up to press her fingers to his lips. "Shh," she whispered, softly. She smiled, shaking her head. "You think too much, you know that? You always have." She took a deep breath and a step back. "_I like you, Shikamaru. _I'm standing right here, and I'm telling you that I like you. And you can either run away, or you can do something about it."

Time must have stopped. For a moment that felt like an eternity, Shikamaru stood in front of Ino, mere footsteps away. His heart pounded in his ears as he gulped back his nerves, faced with a choice that he _never_ would have expected. But there she was. Waiting for him.

Ino watched him steadily, challenging him to make a move. But when he took a step forward, her bravery began to falter. She could feel her nerves dancing on a thin wire, as Shikamaru wrapped an arm around her waist, the other rising to brush the hair back from her face with his hand. His fingers drifted below her jaw, lifting her chin, and causing the breath to catch in her lungs. He leaned his head forward, eyes sliding closed before capturing her lips in a soft kiss; their very first kiss. With each other, with anyone at all. He marveled at how supple her lips were as they moved against his own, slowly, patiently. He pulled away, the tip of his nose still brushing against hers. Their eyes locked.

The separation didn't last, as Ino sought his mouth once again in a careful, requesting manner, asking for more. He smiled into the kiss as Ino's hands traveled up his chest. She crossed her wrists behind his neck, pulling him against her with a gentle tug. And he pushed her backwards, gently, until he had her up against the tree once more. Their lips moved together, tentative at first, before slowly growing more eager. The pressure increased, and Shikamaru shivered slightly as Ino's nails tickled the nape of his neck. Both lips parted, breath passing between them, and Ino licked at his bottom lip with her tongue. He met her advances, teasingly flicking the tip of his tongue against her own, tasting her. And then their mouths slid closed again, lips brushing gently together once more before parting to take a breath.

Ino rested her head back against the rough bark of the tree, looking up at Shikamaru for his reaction.

He sighed, laughing under his breath, a little nervous. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

She smiled, whispering, "Yeah, I do."

He stared at her for a quiet moment. "You don't have to decide anything tonight…just…sleep on it, alright? And when you're ready, tell me how you feel."

She nodded her head. "I get it, you know? I understand how you could be apprehensive about this, since everything happened so suddenly…but I want you to trust me, okay?"

He held her gaze, and nodded back. "I do."

Before they went to sleep, Shikamaru added another log to the dying fire and pulled the cot from his rucksack, spreading it out on the dirt floor. Thoughts were swarming his head in such rapid succession that he was convinced he would never be able to sleep, again. _Did that really happen, _he kept asking himself, over and over again. It didn't feel real, but it was. He had confessed, she _knew_, he kissed her. And it was real. And he had never felt so happy, and still so anxious, in his entire life.

He heard movement behind him, pulling him from his reverie, and turned to see Ino, crouched down on the floor, hands folded in her lap. "Is it okay if I sleep next to you?" she asked.

He smirked, lifting up his blanket as an invitation. She pushed her cot up against his and tossed her blanket over them both, warmed by the feel of Shikamaru's body, lying beside her under the layers of cloth. They didn't talk; just breathed, with small smiles still playing on their lips.

And before they drifted off to sleep, Ino reached for Shikamaru's hand, entwining their fingers.

* * *

Ino woke up late the next morning to a slight ache in her lower back. The floor was definitely _not_ her favorite place to sleep. Her eyes peered open, looking up at the morning sky, cluttered with clouds of gray. Shikamaru sat beside her, his legs crossed, with a map stretched out over his lap. She sat up, yawning widely.

"Morning," he said.

"What ya looking at?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Well, from the looks of it, we'll probably make it back to Konoha by tomorrow morning."

She wrinkled her nose. "We're out of food."

"I know," Shikamaru said, glancing up the sky. "Looks like it's gonna rain soon, too."

"_Fantastic_," Ino muttered sarcastically.

"It's no big deal," he said, pointing to the map. "If we follow this path right here, we'll end up in a small traveler's village. We can get some food there, and maybe crash for the night at one of the taverns."

Ino grimaced, digging her knuckles into her back. "Well, I definitely won't miss sleeping on the floor."

Shikamaru chuckled, folding up the map. "Oh come on, Ino. You've got to embrace the great outdoors."

She rolled her eyes. "If people were supposed to be outside, they wouldn't have invented a house."

He shrugged. "Can't argue with that." He stood up, reaching out his hand to pull her to her feet.

They packed up their belongings, hauling their rucksacks over their shoulders. Before they left the forest clearing, Ino gave Shikamaru an inquisitive look. "Are you sure you know where we're going?"

He scoffed. "Of course I do."

* * *

Four hours later, they were crossing through an open field, the tall grass scratching at their shins. Ino folded her arms over her chest, staring at the back of Shikamaru's head.

"We're lost, aren't we?" she said.

"No," he replied, a little too quickly.

"If you got us lost, Shikamaru, I'm gonna kill you."

He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Alright, but after you kill me, will you at least let my mom know? She hates it when I'm late for dinner."

She grabbed his arm, spinning him around to face her. "So we _are_ lost?!"

"No, we are not lost. We just, _momentarily_, don't know where we are."

"_That's the definition of lost you idiot!_"

He sighed. "Calm down, just let me think." He stood still for a moment, then looked upward at the sky, contemplating. As if it would give him an answer.

Ino watched him with her hands on her hips, somehow finding humor in this situation. Sure, they were lost, but strangely enough, it wasn't so bad. And she wondered if that was because she was lost with _Shikamaru_. "The clouds aren't going to tell us where to go, Shika," she teased.

He shook his head. "No, but _that_ will." He raised his hand, pointing to the sky.

Ino looked up, following the direction of his point to a large hawk, flying lazily over the field. And they lowered their heads to grin at one another. She dropped her rucksack as Shikamaru moved to stand behind her, ready to catch her fall. She held out her arms, preparing to use her mind-body switch technique.

"Aim carefully," Shikamaru instructed from over her shoulder.

"I _know_."

"And fly in a circle three times so that I know it worked, okay?"

"Got it."

A moment later, her body went limp, collapsing back into Shikamaru's arms. He looked up, relieved to see the hawk fly in a circular motion, once, twice, and then a third time. He grinned. "That's my girl," he whispered under his breath. The hawk took flight into the distance, and Shikamaru stood waiting with Ino's head resting back against his shoulder, his arms wrapped securely around her waist, holding her body in place. It was no big deal, really. They had done this so many times, it almost became second nature. But he always took affectionate pride in the fact that _he_ was the one responsible for protecting Ino's body whenever she used her jutsu. They never even had to talk about it...they just _knew_.

Roughly ten minutes passed before she was back in her body, again. Her eyes opened wide and she took a deep breath. "The village is up ahead, over this hill, and then right through the path of that forest," she said with a point. And then she blushed, realizing she hadn't moved from Shikamaru's arms…Realizing she didn't _want_ to move from Shikamaru's arms.

He let her go and she took a step forward, bending down to pick up her rucksack. When she turned around to look back at him, he was watching her with a smirk.

"What?" she asked.

He stretched his arms up, folding them casually behind his head as he walked passed her. "Told ya we weren't lost."

She rolled her eyes, and they continued walking.

It took another hour before they reached their destination, sitting comfortably on the outskirts of the forest range. The village was small but lively, serving as a rest area for passing travelers. The busy streets were inundated with vendors, selling painted souvenirs, weapons forged by hand, and pounds of savory foods and spices. Shikamaru and Ino made their way through the crowd, pausing occasionally at certain tables and shops, and brushing off the vendors who were eager to make a bargain. Some of the male vendors took particular interest in Ino, watching her hungrily as she passed, one of them even calling out to her. She averted her eyes, feeling uncomfortable, until she felt Shikamaru reach for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze as he laced their fingers.

Finally, they stopped at the local inn, the ground floor of which served as a tavern. A bell chimed when Shikamaru pulled the door open, holding it for Ino. An appetizing scent filled the air, wafting from the kitchen in the back. A plump, middle-aged woman greeted them with a warm smile, and led them to a round table by the fireplace. She brought them cups of hot tea and scribbled their orders on a notepad before bustling away.

Ino glanced curiously around the dimly lit room. "This place looks kind of...familiar."

"Probably because we've been here before," Shikamaru told her.

"We have?"

He nodded. "A long time ago. With Chouji, and Asuma."

She smiled sadly at the mention of their late sensei. "I miss those days…Asuma smoking. Chouji eating. You complaining. And me…"

"Bossing us around?" he offered with a smirk.

She shrugged. "Somebody had to do it."

The waitress brought their steaming orders out on a platter, leaving them to eat in a comfortable silence. Outside, rain began to fall, sending the street vendors back into their shops. The tavern slowly began to fill with more people, eager to escape the storm. And Ino yawned, tired from the long day of walking.

"Ready to go?" Shikamaru asked.

She nodded, reaching into her rucksack for her wallet, but when she looked up, Shikamaru had already paid the tab for them both. She smiled. "…Thank you."

"Don't mention it," he said.

After checking in at the front desk, they climbed the staircase to the third floor, and followed the narrow hallway to room 317. Shikamaru stuck the key in the lock, wiggled it a couple of times, but the handle wouldn't budge. He took it out and tried again. Still, it didn't work.

Ino leaned up against the wall, watching him with a quirked eyebrow. "You sure this is the right room?"

"_Of course_ I'm sure, it says right here on the door—317!"

"Well then how come the key won't work?"

"Because life likes to fuck with me," he said, giving the door handle another violent shake.

Ino laughed, scooting him out of the way. "Jeez, let me do it."

He sighed. "Troublesome."

She twisted the key, and after a gentle flick of her wrist, the lock gave way and the door opened. She turned around, flashing Shikamaru a cocky grin.

He scratched at the back of his neck. "Yeah, well…I loosened it for you."

"Oh, shut up."

The room was small, but cozy, with two beds separated by a nightstand, topped with a lamp. An armchair sat in the corner, and a television was perched on top of the wardrobe. Shikamaru fell back on the bed closest to the door, allowing Ino to take the first shower.

She stepped into the bathroom with a sigh, elated to be back in the vicinity of running water and plumping. The hot water loosened her stiff muscles, fogging the mirror with a thin layer of steam. Afterwards, she brushed her teeth and slipped on a pair of cotton underwear and a long t-shirt that reached the middle of her thighs. She passed Shikamaru on her way out of the bathroom, and took the bed closest to the window. She climbed under the sheets, eyes growing heavy as she watched the rain continue to fall. Thunder could be heard in the distance, and occasional bolts of lightening lit up the night sky.

Minutes passed, and Shikamaru stepped out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a pair of long sweatpants. His hair fell across his shoulders, sending drops of water down his bare chest and arms. Ino lay with her head against the pillow, watching as he crossed the room to turn the television on, keeping the volume low. He switched off the lamp.

"You need anything?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

He climbed into the opposite bed, pulling the sheets up to his waist. He yawned. "'Night."

"Goodnight," she whispered, eyes dropping closed.

* * *

It was passed midnight. The television was still on, glowing softly in the dark, unaware that it was no longer being watched. The volume remained a blur of white noise in the too-quiet hotel room, while Ino lay awake in bed. She had only slept for a few restless hours, feeling rather detached from this unfamiliar place. Turning onto her side, she glanced at Shikamaru for comfort. He slept on his back, one arm behind his head, the other draped across his stomach, breathing steadily. She watched him for a while, contemplating.

The cool air bit at her skin as she slipped out of the sheets and slowly crossed the small gap between their beds. The mattress dipped slightly as she sat down beside him. She reached out a hesitant hand, drifting the back of her fingers down his cheek. His eyelids twitched at her touch, but he didn't wake. She smiled down at him warmly, wondering how strangely cute he looked when he slept, as the usual bored scowl was lifted from his face. Slowly, she knelt down, bringing her lips to Shikamaru's with a gentle touch. She planted soft kisses against his mouth, increasing the pressure until she felt him respond, moving his lips against her own. He raised his hand, cupping the back of her neck to draw her head down further, kissing her firmly.

After a moment she pulled away, staring down at him, her expression open, and searching. As if she had a thousand things to say, to question, but couldn't quite find the words. Shikamaru pulled her onto the bed then, moving over so that she could lie down beside him. The electricity between them rose to an all time high; the room disappeared. He propped himself up on an elbow, leaning over her, tucking a lock of blonde hair behind her ear with his hand. There was a look of uncertainty in his eyes, mixed with that same raw emotion she had witnessed the night before, when they were standing by the fireside.

Finally he spoke, his voice a whisper that only she could hear. "Tell me what you want, Ino…Do you want to be with me? Because if I think for one second that you're mine, I'll have a hard time convincing myself otherwise."

She smiled."…I think you already know I'm yours."

And that was all he needed to capture her lips once again, both smiling into the kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in close. The tension they had been feeling all throughout the day finally broke; the pull between them was finally satisfied, and all they knew was each other; their words, their bodies, their lips…

It was Shikamaru's tongue that licked at the seam of Ino's mouth, seeking entrance. Her fingers tangled in his hair then, pulling him back a bit to smirk, and when their mouths came together again, Ino's was open to him, teasing and coaxing him further inside, tasting each other, warm and wet. It was doing strange things to their heart rates. Strange, uncontrollable things.

The kiss deepened, altering from slow and testing to heated and impassioned. Ino's fingers tugged at Shikamaru's hair, raising goosebumps along the nape of his neck. He felt her body move beneath his, her breasts pressing into his chest, bare under her shirt. The blood pumped hot in his veins, stimulating his senses. He knew that they were moving a little too fast, but god, it felt so good to touch her like this; to kiss her, and feel her kiss back. Still, he willed himself to pull away, leaving them both a little breathless and dazed, still entwined in each other's arms. But Ino gave him no time to calm down. With a feral look in her eyes like a cat, she pushed him backwards onto the pillows, climbing on top of him and seeking his lips once more. _Well, maybe just a little bit longer_, he thought, reveling in the feel of Ino's soft body against his own.

Ino's skin, once chilled by the cold room's air, was now becoming hot to the touch. Their mouths came together again and again, hungry for more. Her mind was telling her to slow down, but her body had _never_ felt like this, before. She could sense Shikamaru's heart, beating wildly inside of his chest, and she knew he felt the same way. Her legs straddled his waist, and she could feel him beneath her, _hard_ inside of his sweatpants. She shifted her hips, brushing against the stiffened bulge, and he broke the kiss, breath hitching sharply at the sensation.

He swallowed hard, trying to calm down, but it was difficult to think when she had reduced him to little else but mindless want. His body was practically begging for that feeling again, _just_ _one more time_. He drifted his hands down her back, cupping beneath her buttocks and pulling her forward once more to grind against him, hard and slow, creating the most delicious friction, and he knew she felt it, too…she whimpered in his ear, and the sound alone was enough to send a shiver down his spine.

She nuzzled her face into his neck, kissing him there before slowly pulling away. They stared at each for a moment, both breathing hard. And then an understanding passed between them without a word: it was time to call it quits before they ended up going even further. Ino grinned slyly and climbed off his lap, lying comfortably beside him. He willed his heart beat to settle down, and then stood up from the bed.

She looked up at him curiously. "Where are you going?"

"Uh…" he said, staring awkwardly at the wall. He hung his head with a sigh. "I need a shower. A cold one."

She giggled, catching onto his implication almost instantly.

Tucking a pillow under her head, Ino found that she couldn't stop _smiling_. There was no denying it…she was falling more and more for Shikamaru, hard and fast. A week ago, this would have seemed unimaginable, but somehow, it just felt so _right_. As if it were supposed to happen all along. And she wondered, regrettably so, how she didn't realize it sooner…

The shower turned off, and minutes later he was climbing back into bed, lying down beside her under the sheets. She suppressed another giggle. "Feel better?"

"Quiet, you. It's your fault," he whispered, voice slightly muffled by the pillow.

"No, it's not."

"Is too."

"Go to sleep, idiot," she said with a grin, rolling onto her side.

His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. That warm, fluttering feeling rose up from her stomach as he nuzzled his face into her neck, kissing the little hollow behind her ear. "'Night, Ino."

"Goodnight, Shika."

To be continued…

* * *

**Notes:** Just want to say thank you _so_ much to everyone who reviewed!

I love having Ino call Shikamaru 'idiot' in this ironically playful way; I think it's cute, since he's a genius and all, so you'll probably see that happen a lot. But just a warning: things are going to get pretty graphic as far as sexual content goes (not necessarily in chapter 3, but eventually) so if anyone is uncomfortable with that, you may want to back out now. (I love smut, I just can't help myself :x…) Until next time! xo


	3. Chapter 3

**Well, I'm back! Thank you, all of you wonderful reviewers, and special thanks to Shikainoisthebest for the sweet messages :-) ****Oh, and one of the reviewers was sad because they were hoping Shikamaru and Ino were going to have sex in the last chapter lol! Patience, my friends; there will be plenty of sexy time soon.**

* * *

**Serendipity**

**Chapter Three**

Ino woke up the following morning with a body pressed flush to her back, an arm draped around her waist. Slow and steady puffs of breath dusted a comforting warmth along the back of her neck. The feeling of waking up in someone else's arms, _his_ arms, was something new, and altogether reassuring. She smiled, and lightly dragged her fingernails up the inside of Shikamaru's forearm. With a reluctant yawn, she released herself from his grip and sat up, glancing at the alarm clock on the bedside table.

"Shikamaru," she whispered, prodding him in the shoulder.

"Hn?"

"We gotta get up. Check-out is in half an hour."

He groaned, pulling the blankets up to cover his face. Ino climbed on top of him then, tugging back the sheet and kissing the skin as it was revealed; his forehead, the bridge of his nose, his cheeks. Still, he continued to sleep.

"Shikaaa," she chimed. "Stop being so lazy."

"That's not possible," he said, voice low and sleepy.

"Not with that attitude." She grabbed one of the pillows, smacking him with it a few times.

Finally, his eyes opened. "Alright, alright! I'm up!"

She laughed. "How did you sleep?"

He wrapped his arm around her waist with a yawn, nuzzling his face into her shirt. "Hn. Good. You make a nice pillow," he whispered, kissing her belly.

She smiled, pushing him away. "Flatter me all you want, but you're not going back to sleep."

They brushed their teeth and changed back into their traveling clothes, afterwards gathering the assortment of personal belongings that had scattered around the hotel room during their stay. Before they left, Shikamaru made his way through the bathroom, rucksack in hand, collecting the tiny bottles of complimentary soaps and shampoos, and dropping them into his bag.

Ino stood in the doorway, hands on her hips, watching him incredulously. "I can't _believe _you're actually taking those home with you."

He glanced up at her, eyebrows quirked in confusion. "What are you talkin' about? It's free stuff! They're just gonna throw it out anyway. They _want_ you to take it."

"But it's _hotel_ shampoo," she exclaimed, indicating the bottles with her hand.

He shrugged. "What difference does it make?"

Ino picked up the shampoo bottle, squinting to read the list of ingredients on the back panel. "This isn't good for your hair!"

"I'm a guy, Ino. What the hell would I know about hair products?"

"Hmm," she mused, dropping the bottle back into the bag. "I guess I'll have to teach you some things the next time I wash your hair." She turned and walked out of the bathroom, grinning slyly, and leaving Shikamaru behind to shudder at her suggestive words.

Teasing Shikamaru was quickly becoming one of Ino's favorite pastimes, as he would soon discover.

* * *

They grabbed a quick bite to eat at the ground floor tavern and bid the smiling waitress goodbye, before setting out on the last stretch of the journey home.

For the most part, they walked in an introspective silence. It was comfortable, but it was also obvious that they were both caught up in their heads, thinking quite a bit. And who could blame them? So much had changed, and it had all happened in the small span of forty-eight hours. It was as exciting as it was nerve-wracking, as familiar as it was brand new. Familiar because they had known each other all their lives, practically grown up together because their fathers were best friends. And by some unspoken prophecy, they landed on the same team together, fated to carry on the legendary Ino-Shika-Cho name. As a result, friendship had always come easily for them, even in spite of Shikamaru's unrequited crush on Ino. But they were taking a different path now, a path that required an exchange of their _hearts_. They knew so much about each other already _because _of their history, but how much more would they learn, how much closer would they become? …And, if by some chance of misfortune, something were to go wrong, would they ever be able to return to the friendship that had been sacrificed in becoming something more?

They paused to take a break by a shallow stream, the water a clear hue of turquoise, revealing a stone-covered bottom. Shikamaru sat under the shade of a tree while Ino dipped her feet into the water, watching the shimmering sunlight as it reflected across the surface.

After a moment, she glanced over her shoulder at Shikamaru. And then a thought crossed her mind for the very first time: _I'm his girlfriend._ The thought alone made her heave a contented sigh; she had never been anyone's girlfriend, before. She kicked her feet through the water. "It's going to feel kinda weird, ya know? Going back home."

He sat with his legs crossed, his back slumped leisurely against the tree trunk. "Weird how?"

"I mean, we left the village as just friends and now we're coming back as something more."

He took a breath and let it back out. "Does that make you nervous?"

"A little."

"What are you nervous about?"

"Well…we've been friends all our lives. You know that's always been important to me, our friendship."

He nodded his head. "It's important to me, too."

"But now it's changing into something different. So what if something happens…if we broke up, we could probably never go back to the way we were."

He shrugged, as the thought had already crossed his mind, as well. "It's too late, now. After everything that happened these passed few days, and…_last night_…I don't know if I'll be able to see you as just a friend, ever again." _Not that I ever truly did in the first place_, he thought.

"And I feel the same way. But doesn't that make you nervous?"

"About what? That we're gonna break up? I'm already nervous about that," he said, averting his eyes.

Ino frowned at him then, pulling her legs from the water. She crawled across the grass so that they were facing each other, their knees almost touching. She reached for his hand. "Shika…I don't want you to doubt my feelings for you. Besides, that's not what I meant…what I _meant_ was, does it make you nervous that we could never go back to the way we were before?"

He thought for a moment, staring down at their enjoined hands, contemplating. "No," he finally said, giving her hand a little squeeze. "Because I know that we're always going to be important to each other, whether we're together or not. I mean, sure, it'd probably take a long time for us to have some kind of friendship again…_Especially_ if I had to see you with another guy." He chuckled darkly. "I'd probably do something crazy."

Ino smirked, raising an eyebrow. "The rational, logical Shikamaru would do something crazy?" she questioned.

He crossed his arms, shrugging his shoulders back. "You do have that effect on me, ya know."

"And what would you do?"

He grinned slyly. "Who knows? Maybe I'd lure him away from you with my shadow possession."

She giggled. "Oh yeah? Well if you got a new girlfriend, I'd use my mind-body-switch technique and force her to annoy you until you didn't like her, anymore," she teased.

He nodded. "That's a good plan. After all, you _do_ know exactly how to annoy me."

Ino shoved him playfully in the chest. "Asshole!"

Shikamaru laughed a genuine laugh, low and full. "I'm _kidding_." He raised her hand to his lips, kissing the back of her fingers in apology. And then his eyes drifted to the stream for a moment, absently watching the ripples in the water's surface. "We just have to be careful with this, that's all."

"What do you mean?"

He looked back at her. "Like you said, we're going from friendship into something more. Things could get…messy. I think it's best if we try to take it slow."

"We weren't exactly taking it slow last night," she said in a low voice.

He scratched at the back of his neck. "Yeah, well…that was before we had a strategy."

She rolled her eyes. "You and your strategies, again…Okay, so how's it gonna be? Am I not supposed to kiss you, anymore?"

"Oh, you can still kiss me. Trust me."

She bit her lip, watching him closely before moving forward to climb onto his lap, facing him. His body stiffened as she wrapped her arms around his neck, looking down at him with a small smirk. "Well what about this? Can I sit on your lap? …Or will you need to take a cold shower again?"

He sighed, lips turning up into an irresistible grin. "You damn tease."

She laughed, planting a kiss on his forehead. "I'm just kidding. Tell me the strategy. I'm listening."

He thought for a moment, brushing his fingers along the outside of her thighs. "It's nothing too complex. We just gotta take it slow for a little while…and maybe we should just keep it between us, too."

"What, like a secret?"

"Yeah. Just for a little while, until we figure everything out."

Ino nodded in agreement. The idea of people finding out what they were, when _they_ had only just realized what they were, didn't sit right with her…And there was always a little bit of fun in keeping a secret.

He smirked. "Think you can handle that? You're not exactly the best at keeping secrets."

She dragged her fingernails across the nape of his neck, sending a small shiver down his spine. "I'll keep it for you."

"Good," he said, distracted by the light touch of her fingers.

"So we're not going to tell anyone? Even Chouji?"

"Ehh, Chouji will be the first person we tell. Not right away, though."

She quirked an eyebrow. "You don't think he'll be suspicious?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. But he'll probably just brush it off because he knows I like you."

She paused the ministrations of her hands. "He does?"

Shikamaru looked at her incredulously. "He's my _best friend_."

"I just didn't think guys talked about that kind of stuff."

"We didn't have to talk about it. Not at first, anyway. He kinda figured it out on his own."

"How?"

He smirked. "Ino…didn't you ever think it was kind of strange how _every time_ you did your mind transfer jutsu, _I_ was always the one who took care of your body, not Chouji?"

She thought for a moment, realization dawning on her. And then her lips broke into a sly grin. "You little pervert."

He raised his hands innocently. "What? It was an excuse to protect you and get close to you at the same time. Completely innocent."

"Uh huh. Sure."

He slid his hands up her thighs, locking his arms around her waist. "Good thing I don't need an excuse, now," he said in a low voice.

She raised a finger to point at him. "Watch yourself, Shika. Remember your strategy."

He lowered his head with a sigh. "Damnit. Me and my bright ideas."

She laughed and climbed off his lap, pulling him to his feet. "Come on, idiot. Let's go home."

When the gates of Konoha finally came into view on the horizon, Shikamaru and Ino let out a sigh of relief, happy to be home at last. They had nearly reached the village entrance when Shikamaru grabbed Ino's hand, pulling her into the shallow outskirts of the surrounding forest, safely hidden from view.

"Come here before I have to pretend you're not mine, anymore," he whispered.

She laughed, throwing her arms around his neck before her lips were captured in an eager kiss.

* * *

Shikamaru lay back in the grass with his arms folded behind his head, feet crossed at the ankles, gazing up at the endless sky. The clouds weren't exact in shape today; they dispersed in thin wisps of white across the sheet of pale blue. But for the first time in a long time, he found he couldn't quite lose himself to the simple task of cloud gazing. His thoughts were drawn to something else…His favorite distraction.

A couple feet away, Ino knelt down in the soil, dirt on her hands, eyes slightly narrowed, inspecting a small patch of flowers and picking her favorites. She was adorable this way, when she thought no one was paying attention. Gathering a small bouquet in her hands, she pulled a pair of scissors from her pocket and trimmed the bottom of the stems with short, precise cuts. Feeling his eyes on her, she glanced over her shoulder at Shikamaru, but he quickly looked away, a small smile playing on his lips.

A month had passed since their mission from Sunagakure, although it had felt like no time at all. True to their strategy, they had been keeping their relationship a secret; grabbing each other's hands under the table when they ate barbeque with Chouji, and stealing kisses when no one was looking. They had also managed to take things slow, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Shikamaru could feel his resistance slipping every time a quick kiss was turned into an impassioned make-out session, and his dreams about Ino were becoming especially heated, causing him to wake up very turned on, and very hard.

But more than anything, being with Ino made him happy. In fact, this passed month had been the happiest Shikamaru had ever felt in his life. More often than not, he would catch himself smiling for no reason, and missing her comforting presence the moment she walked away. Silently, he wondered if Ino felt the same way, but then she'd get that look in her eyes, and he knew she felt it, too.

His eyes were closed when he felt her kneel down beside him, stroking his cheek with the back of her hand. He hummed contentedly, smiling when he felt the brush of her lips against his own. He reached his hand up, cupping the back of her neck and pulling her forward with a gentle tug. She landed on his chest, kissing him once more before releasing his lips.

"What do you think?" she asked, raising the bouquet of flowers before his eyes.

"I think he'll love it," he said earnestly.

Ino grabbed his wrist then, pulling him into a sitting position. She arranged the bouquet with expertise, and carefully placed it into his palm. "Hold it tight," she instructed. She dug into her pocket and found a pale yellow ribbon, tying a bow around the stems to hold the flowers in place, her fingers brushing across Shikamaru's.

"Ready?" she asked.

He nodded. "I'm ready." He stood up first, reaching out his hand to pull Ino to her feet.

They walked to the Konoha memorial grounds, quickly locating Asuma's headstone. Together, they knelt down before it, bowing their heads in prayer. "Don't be too impressed with me," Shikamaru said softly to the marble stone, gently setting down the bouquet of flowers. "_She's_ the one who picked these out."

Ino smirked. "And he helped tie the ribbon."

He took hold of Ino's hand, squeezing gently and feeling her squeeze back.

"Do you think he would be surprised?" she wondered out loud after a moment.

"Hm?"

"You know…" she glanced down at their entwined fingers. "About us?"

He smiled thoughtfully. "…I think it would have made him happy. He always knew how I felt about you."

Ino smiled, her cheeks warm and pink. "Really?"

"Really."

"I wish I would have known, too."

"Yeah? How come?"

"So I could have made you mine a long time ago."

"You sure you wouldn't have gotten tired of me by now?" he teased.

"Yeah," she whispered, brushing a stray strand of hair back from his face. "I'm sure."

He smiled, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on her forehead. For awhile, they sat in silence, Shikamaru gazing down at the marble stone, his lips drawn together in a frown. Ino watched him out of the corner of her eye. "Do you miss him?" she whispered.

He nodded. "Yeah…sometimes, I still forget…that's he's not here, anymore."

She could feel her heart breaking at the sadness in his voice. Her hand rose to his back, rubbing in small, comforting circles. He reached his arm around her, holding her tightly against his chest, until the sun began to set. And together, they walked home.

When they reached Ino's house, her father was standing outside, watering plants with a yellow can. They hadn't told him about their relationship yet, but Shikamaru still felt the typical nerves that came with being around your girlfriend's dad. He said a quick 'hello,' to Inoichi and gave Ino a short wave of goodbye, not wanting to linger and seem suspicious.

Ino went inside the house, slipped off her shoes, and went upstairs to her bedroom, pulling the tie from her hair. She stood in front of the mirror, brushing the hair back behind her shoulders. And then she heard a steady knock against her window. Confused, she turned around to see none other than Shikamaru standing out on the window ledge. She set her brush down, crossing the floor to pull the window open.

She smiled, feigning annoyance. "What do _you_ want?"

He shrugged. "I didn't get to kiss you goodbye."

She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him into her bedroom, and seconds later, he had her pressed up against the wall, his hands cupping her face as he sought her lips in a deep kiss. He licked at the seam of her mouth and she opened her lips invitingly, teasingly flicking at his tongue with her own. After a moment, her lips changed trajectory, trailing down his jaw to the smooth column of his neck. His pulse throbbed beneath the skin and she latched her mouth to it with a hard _suck_, causing his breath to catch in his throat. Slowly, his hands drifted down her body, lingering at her breasts and squeezing gently, making her sigh into his neck. When his hands reached her waist, he pulled her forward, grinding his hips against her, dying to feel some sort of friction against his rapidly hardening length.

She smirked at his eagerness, sliding her lips up to his earlobe. _Oh fuck, not my ear_, he thought...She had already discovered that that was one of his weak spots. She licked and sucked at his earlobe before taking it between her teeth, nibbling gently and sending a shiver down his spine. Meanwhile, her hand trailed down his chest, moving lower and lower, making his heart slam violently against his ribcage each time it beat.

Her hand cupped the bulge at the front of his pants, feeling his cock twitch as she stroked her fingers over the fabric. He hissed in delight at the sensation, eyelids fluttering shut. "Ino…," he groaned.

She smirked, licking at his earlobe. "You're _hard_," she whispered.

He squeezed her hips, grinding against her once more. He swallowed thickly. "Do you have any idea how badly I want you?"

In that moment, they heard Inoichi's voice from downstairs, and froze in place. "Ino!" he called, "Dinner's ready."

"Fuck," Shikamaru whispered, glancing down at the tent at the front of his pants. "Now I gotta walk home like this."

Ino giggled, planting one last soft kiss on his lips. "Sorry, babe…Maybe next time I'll take care of that for you."

With a sigh, Shikamaru slipped out onto the window ledge, willing his erection to go away before walking home with a glazed look on his face. He spent the rest of the night in a haze of distraction, vividly wondering when exactly 'next time' would be.

To be continued...

* * *

**Notes: Ah! Sorry for the cocktease (literally and figuratively) at the end lol. But you know what they say: good things come to those who wait! And Shikamaru's going to be home alone for an entire weekend next chapter so…hmmm **

**Anyway, keep reviewing, it cures writer's block, I swear!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Serendipity**

**Chapter Four**

One Friday afternoon, Shikamaru's parents packed up their luggage, preparing to embark on a two-day mission to Kusagakure. After double-checking that they hadn't forgotten anything, they pulled the front door open, turning back to face Shikamaru as they said their farewells.

"We'll be back Sunday," Shikaku said.

"I know," Shikamaru replied with a bored nod.

"There's left-overs in the refrigerator, I don't want you eating junk," Yoshino said for the second time that day.

Shikamaru sighed, "I know."

"And don't leave the house a mess! It wouldn't kill you to dust something, ya know," Yoshino said for the…what was it now? Third time?

Shikamaru resisted a powerful urge to roll his eyes. "_I know_."

When the door finally clicked shut, Shikamaru hung his head. "Troublesome," he muttered under his breath. He stepped up to the window and pulled back the curtains, watching his parents' backs until they disappeared into the distance. Then, he crossed the floor to the kitchen and grabbed the telephone from its hook on the wall. With a yawn, he dialed Kiba's number.

"What's up?"

"They're gone."

"Sweet! I'll be over in an hour." He hung up without saying goodbye.

It was Kiba's birthday and, after being begged relentlessly by his canine-inclined friend, Shikamaru finally gave in and agreed that they could have a party at his house that night. So, he made the rounds to different rooms, hiding anything that was fragile or made of glass just in case things got a little _too_ rowdy, and pushing odd bits of furniture up against the walls to create more space. Impressively, he even took the time to tidy up his own bedroom, a task he usually couldn't be bothered with. When the sun had begun to set, he glanced impatiently at the clock on the wall, and wondered why he was feeling so damn nervous.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. He knew why he was nervous: Ino was coming over. Sure, it's not like she had never been to his house before…but it _would_ be her first time being there since they had started dating. This would also be the first time that they would be around any of their friends, besides Chouji, as a _couple_…a couple who were still keeping their relationship a secret. And you would think that after nearly a month and a half of dating, the initial nervous jitters would have begun to subside a bit. However, Shikamaru still found himself anxiously tugging at his clothes, hoping that Ino would like the shirt he picked out. It was long-sleeved and navy blue; she had mentioned before that he looked good in that color. He brushed his teeth twice, and even put on a little bit of cologne.

It wasn't long before the doorbell rang and Shikamaru found Kiba, Chouji, and Shino making their way into the living room without waiting for an invitation. Shikamaru nodded his head at Shino's usual silent stature and turned his attention to Kiba and Chouji, who were both carrying large, brown paper bags in their arms. He raised a questioning eyebrow.

There was a sound of glass clinking together as Kiba reached into one of the bags, grinning as he brandished the bottle now held tightly in his fist. "Saké!" he exclaimed.

"What the…? Where the hell did you get saké from?" Shikamaru asked.

Kiba shrugged, following him into the kitchen to set the bags down on the counter. "My sister. It took some heavy bribing on my part, but she caved in, eventually." He popped open one of the bottles, looking up at Shikamaru expectantly. "Got any cups?"

With a sigh, Shikamaru pulled open a cabinet, bypassing his mother's expensive china in favor of old coffee mugs and chipped plastic cups. He watched as Kiba poured four glasses of the rice wine, feeling a little wary, but even more curious. He had never drank alcohol before. He took a large gulp, feeling the burn in the back of his throat, and the warmth rise in his cheeks.

By eight o'clock the doorbell rang for the second time, and Shikamaru went to answer it, smoothing his hair back with his hand, just in case.

False alarm. There were four people on his doorstep, but none of them were Ino. Lee stepped inside the house first, grinning broadly, followed by TenTen who shook her head at Lee's enthusiastic entrance. Next up was Hinata who smiled politely as she stepped out of her shoes, and rounding up the group was Neji. He glanced over Shikamaru's shoulder, and then leaned in to whisper, "Do not, under any circumstances, let Lee have saké."

Shikamaru smirked. "Got it."

They helped themselves to some drinks and moved to join the others in the living room, chatting amicably. A few minutes passed before the doorbell rang, once again. "It's probably Sakura," Lee said, "We passed her on the way here."

So, Shikamaru sauntered to the front of the house once again to open the door. It wasn't Sakura.

Looking very pretty in a short, flowing black skirt and pale blue top, Ino stood alone on the doorstep. Her hair fell behind her shoulders in a long, smooth sheet of blonde. "Hi," she said brightly.

Shikamaru blinked, slightly caught off guard. He recovered quickly, stepping to the side. "Come on in. The others are already here."

Ino stepped into the secluded entryway of the house, pulling the door closed behind her. She rested her back against it, not moving. Shikamaru studied her for a moment and glanced over his shoulder, listening to the muffled commotion in the other room. And when he looked back at Ino, a sly small was playing at her lips. With the coast clear of prying eyes, he stepped closer, sliding his arms around her waist to pull her in to a quick hug.

She nuzzled her face into his neck, inhaling a heady scent. "Mm…you smell good," she whispered.

"Do I?"

"You do. Trying to impress somebody?"

"Eh, maybe. I think it's a lost cause, though."

"Oh? Why's that?"

He smirked. "She is _way_ too beautiful for me."

Ino giggled softly, her warm breath ghosting across his neck, giving him chills. "Knock it off, idiot, or they'll wonder why I'm blushing."

Reluctantly, she let go of Shikamaru's embrace and followed him into the living room, both forcing a casual demeanor. They separated then, Shikamaru moving to stand by Chouji while Ino joined TenTen and Hinata in the corner of the room.

Much to Shikamaru's relief, the doorbell rang only one more time that night, bringing with it the appearance of Naruto, Sakura, and Sai. "Kiba, you bastard!" Naruto called as he barged into the living room. "Happy birthday!"

The party quickly moved into the kitchen as everyone, with the exception of Neji and Sai, was eager to fill their cups with large helpings of saké.

Kiba cleared his throat to cut through the noise, raising his glass into the air. "Alright, let's have a toast."

"What are we toasting?" TenTen asked.

Kiba looked at her incredulously. "Me, of course!"

"I think we should have a toast to your sister for supplying the saké," Chouji offered.

Lee spoke up next. "Let's toast to the beauty of our youth!" he shouted, which was followed by a resonating, "_NO!_" from everyone else in the room. And Neji wrestled the saké bottle from Lee's grip.

"I think we should toast to Shikamaru's parents for going away," Sakura said, and the group murmured their agreement.

Kiba gaped at them all. "What? No! Listen, you _assholes_, it's _my_ birthday, and we're toasting to me. Got it?"

"Fine, just shut up and drink already!" Ino yelled.

They raised their cups into the air, touching them together in an act of 'cheers,' and Ino smirked at Shikamaru when their glasses met. "To Kiba," the group chanted together, some more enthusiastic than others, before gulping back their drinks.

"Alright," Shikamaru called over the chatter. "Three rules: Don't break anything. Don't puke on anything. Don't set my house on fire. Agreed?"

"Agreed!"

* * *

Two hours later, the saké had long since kicked in, reducing the group of inexperienced teenagers to a giggling, stumbling mess. Their voices grew in volume, their words slightly slurred, but all in all, everyone was having a good time. An exciting buzz hung in the party's air, making them all feel strangely giddy, and warm.

At one point, they were gathered together in the living room, knee-deep in a game of Truth-or-Dare. A bottle of saké was being passed around; anyone who refused to tell the truth or perform their dare had to chug some of the rice wine as a consequence. So far, Kiba had been dared to shovel ice-cubes down his boxers. He managed to hold out for a few seconds, before running to the bathroom to soak his genitals in warm water. Sakura apologetically refused a dare to kiss Sai, and valiantly drank from the saké bottle, instead. Shino was insulted by a dare to eat one of his insects, and was also passed the bottle of liquid poison, as a result.

"Oh c'mon, guys. We can't keep passin' the dares up like this," Naruto said. "Shikamaru, it's your turn, and you better not wimp out. Truth or dare?"

He sighed. "Dare, I guess."

Naruto's eyes lit up with mischief. "Hmm…For ten seconds…I dare you...to _kiss_…"

Shikamaru froze. _Oh shit_. Damn, that Naruto. What if he picked one of the other girls? He'd have to refuse, but would they pressure him for passing up the dare like the others had? And on the other hand, what if he picked Ino? Would he be able to kiss her and pretend like it was the very first time? Would their cover be blown?

Ino sat diagonally across the circle from Shikamaru, feeling rather tense, as the same train of thought was running through her head. _Naruto, if you don't pick me, I swear_…

Naruto grinned broadly. "_Ino_."

Everyone turned to Shikamaru then, waiting for his answer. He could hear his heart thrumming loudly in his ears, but brushed it off with a smirk, shrugging his shoulders again. "Okay."

Ino sucked in a nervous breath as Shikamaru stood up and crossed through the circle, kneeling down on the floor in front of her. Every eye in the room was focused on them, the boys snickered and the girls giggled. Chouji raised his eyebrows in amusement at the sight of his teammates, his _best_ friends, preparing to kiss, fully aware of Shikamaru's crush on the blonde kunoichi, and wondering vaguely what could be going on inside of his head in that moment…

Slowly, Shikamaru reached out his hand, cupping Ino's cheek. Their eyes met, and an understanding passed between them without a word. _Let's make this believable_…

The group started the count down from ten as soon as Shikamaru pressed his lips to Ino's, slowly, tentatively, with the hesitance of a novice. Pretending like he hadn't already enjoyed the feel of those soft, supple lips many times before; like he hadn't already memorized her taste…

_"Seven…Six…Five…"_

Their lips parted irresistibly, just enough to allow a breath to pass between them, and Ino's tongue to swipe against Shikamaru's bottom lip.

_"Three…Two…One!"_

They released each other's lips, blushing furiously, as everyone cheered, whistling and hollering in their approval. Reluctantly, Shikamaru moved away, reclaiming his spot on the other side of the circle, and avoiding any further eye contact with Ino at all costs.

* * *

Eventually, the party separated by the sexes, as the boys went outside into the backyard to start a firepit. The girls remained in the living room, chatting and giggling between more sips of the saké.

"I can't believe you and Shikamaru kissed!" TenTen exclaimed.

Ino forced a laugh. "I know! Crazy, right?" She tried to sound as natural as possible, but it was difficult to act shocked and appalled at the thought of kissing Shikamaru when in fact, she had been kissing him, _rather thoroughly at times_, for over a month, now.

"He looked like a _good_ kisser, too," Sakura added, and Ino had to refrain from narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

"So...what was it like?" Hinata asked in a quiet voice.

Ino paused, lowering her head in contemplation. Hell would freeze over before she let these girls set their sights on her boyfriend, but she took affectionate pride in knowing that she had nothing to worry about, anyway; After all, he was _hers_. So, for the sake of girl-talk, she decided to indulge them. She raised her head with a sly grin, causing them to giggle even louder. "He's a _very_ good kisser," she said…_Especially when he strokes my hair and bites my lip.  
_  
Meanwhile outside, the guys sat in a circle around the firepit; Neji watching the flames contemplatively; Sai staring around at the others with polite interest; Kiba gulping back the rest of the saké in his cup, tossing it over his shoulder; Shino...being Shino; Naruto probing at the fire with a stick; Chouji hungrily skewering a sausage, with Shikamaru beside him. Lee stood a couple feet away, setting up a fireworks display in a clear patch of grass.

Naruto leaned forward to look at Shikamaru. "So, how did it feel to kiss Ino? Were you happy with my choice?" he asked, quirking his eyebrows suggestively.

_Yes, very happy_, Shikamaru thought. He gave him a look. "You idiot."

"Hell, I wouldn't mind kissing her," Kiba added with a shrug. "Ino's hott." And the others nodded in agreement.

Shikamaru bit down on his tongue, willing himself not to shoot Kiba a death glare. Rationally, he couldn't blame the guys for not knowing about him and Ino; after all, they _were_ keeping things a secret. But still, the saké was blurring his judgment, and if they started talking about his girlfriend in a more-than-friendly manner, he was going to have to excuse himself to the bathroom before things turned violent. Luckily, the conversation quickly shifted from Ino to the rest of the girls, in typical guy-talk fashion: They discussed Hinata's body, Sakura's eyes, TenTen's ability to hang with the guys. Shikamaru kept quiet, nibbling at the food that Chouji offered him, and wondering absently what Ino was doing back inside the house…

"The fireworks are ready!" Lee announced. He ran inside the house to call the girls outside.

Together, the group stood in Shikamaru's backyard, watching as spirals of flashing light and shimmering color lit up the night sky with loud cracks and bursts. Ino strategically drifted to the back of the crowd, and Shikamaru sidled up to her.

"Well, I'd say that was a believable performance," he said in a low voice that only she could hear.

She smirked. "A little _too_ believable if you ask me. Now all the other girls want to kiss you."

"Is that so?"

"Mhmmm," she mused, crossing her arms.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm single then, huh?"

She chuckled. "Keep talking like that, and you will be."

He moved in even closer, his lips brushing against her hair. "You know you're the only one I want."

"Prove it," she whispered back.

He shrugged. "Meet me in the hallway in thirty seconds, and I will."

And then he turned, heading back towards the house. Ino bit her lip as she watched him go, before silently sneaking away from the group to follow after him. It was an opportune moment that neither of them could resist; everyone was either too drunk or too enraptured by the fireworks show to notice the disappearance of their two friends.

Ino slipped inside the back door of the house, crossing through the living room. She had only just turned the corner into the hallway when she was pulled into Shikamaru's arms, his lips seeking hers in a hungry kiss. The saké, combined with the forced restraint of their last kiss and the difficult task of keeping their hands off of each other all night, resulted in a heated frenzy of lips locking with lips, as their mouths opened eagerly to lick, to taste. Shikamaru's hands drifted down Ino's body, cupping below her buttocks to lift her up. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around his waist, smirking into the kiss. He carried her to the nearest door, blindly reaching behind her back to pull it open before stepping inside.

She broke the kiss, looking around at the small space in confusion. "A coat closet?"

He shrugged, pulling the door closed behind them. "It's the last place anyone would look."

They were completely submerged in darkness, as the only source of light fell through the cracks in the closet door. Still, they easily found each other's lips once again, and when Ino sucked Shikamaru's bottom lip into the warmth of her mouth, he groaned, shifting his feet. Unfortunately, this caused him to trip over a pair of shoes; he fell back against the wall and slid to the floor, with Ino landing in his lap.

She threw her head back with a laugh, and Shikamaru smirked, taking advantage of the exposed skin. He latched his lips onto the smooth column of her neck, sucking hungrily at her pulse. Even in the dark, he knew exactly where to touch, to lick, to _suck_, to elicit those delicious little mewls that fell from her lips. He used his hands for eyes, sliding them up the smooth thighs that straddled his lap. Tentatively, his hands slipped under her skirt, and felt the lace of her underwear. Fingers slid to the heat between her legs, rubbing her over the fabric experimentally.

She whimpered in his ear, causing his blood to pump white hot in his veins, surging with arousal to his groin at an alarming rate. His pants were growing tight and constricting, and he slid his hips forward to loosen some of the strain. Mirroring his movements, Ino spread her thighs even further, shifting her hips to align the throb between her legs with the stiffened bulge in his pants. And then she began to move, grinding herself against him, hard and slow.

"_Fuck_." He grit his teeth, head dropping back against the wall.

She leaned forward to lick at the shell of his ear before suckling the lobe into her mouth, still sliding relentlessly against his pulsing erection, feeling it twitch against the peak of her sex. His breathing quickened against her neck. "…Does that feel good?" she teased in a low voice, already knowing the answer.

"Ino…" he groaned. "You're killin' me."

He thrust his hips forward to quicken the pace, pulling her down against him, desperate for more friction, more relief. His cock _ached_ for her, in a tortuous mixture of pleasure and pain. All that separated them were a few thin layers of cloth, and he released a shuddering breath, fighting back the desire to strip their clothes away and touch skin; to _feel_ her, make her breath harder, hear her moan louder…

Suddenly, they heard the back door of the house open, and the commotion of the others as they filed back inside. "Ino?" Sakura's voice called above the noise.

"Shit," Ino whispered, kissing Shikamaru apologetically before jumping up from his lap.

He sighed, attempting to calm his pounding heart. "If anyone asks, I'll be in the bathroom," he said, and he heard Ino's stifled giggle as she slipped out of the closet and returned to the party.

For what seemed like the thousandth time that month, he was left with an unrelieved raging hard-on, and hurried to the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face.

* * *

Around one o'clock in the morning, the party had finally begun to die down, as everyone eventually sobered up and walked home in groups. The only ones who remained were Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji, and Kiba.

In the kitchen, Chouji and Kiba raided the refrigerator for food, appetites heightened by their drunken state. And Shikamaru supervised, making sure they didn't violate any fire hazards. Meanwhile, Ino lay back on the couch in the living room, feeling rather nauseous, her stomach churning. Slowly, she stood up, crossing the floor to the bathroom, stumbling slightly.

Shikamaru watched her, his brows furrowed in concern. He followed her to the bathroom, knocking on the closed door. "Ino?"

"Go away," she said in a weak voice.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm sick."

He gripped the door handle, but it was locked. "Unlock the door."

"No."

"Please?"

"I don't want you to see me like this. Besides, I don't think I should stand up, the room is spinning."

Shikamaru stared hard at the door for a moment, contemplating. After some quick thinking, he activated his shadow sewing jutsu, slipping the shadow under the crack of the door and manipulating it to rise and toy with the lock. It took a few tries before the handle finally gave way, and Shikamaru pushed open the bathroom door. Once inside, he found Ino sitting on the floor beside the toilet, staring miserably into the bowl.

She glanced up at him with a faint grimace. "Sneaky bastard."

He fought back a smile, locking the door to give them some privacy. "How come you didn't want me to come in?"

"I told you, I don't want you to see me."

"Yeah, but why?"

She rubbed a hand across her stomach. "Because I think I'm gonna throw up."

He shrugged his shoulders. "So?"

"I don't want you to watch!"

"Why not?"

She gave him a furtive look and turned her eyes back to the toilet.

"What, you think I won't like you anymore after I see you puke?"

"Maybe," she said with an adorable little pout.

He chuckled, sitting down on the floor behind her. "You're crazy, you know that?" he said in a low voice. "I like all of you, Ino. Not just the good things. Besides…" He pulled the hair back from her face, gathering the soft strands into his palms. "I want to be the one to hold back your hair."

She smirked, glancing at him over her shoulder. "If I wasn't about to vomit, I might kiss you."

"If you weren't about to vomit, I would definitely kiss you."

They stayed like that for a few more minutes until Ino finally leaned over the toilet and spilled her guts into the bowl. All the while Shikamaru held back her hair, and rubbed the small of her back in comforting circles. Finally, she reached up and pulled the lever, flushing the contents down the pipe.

"Feel better?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah," she said, in a small, raspy voice.

He helped her to her feet and rummaged through the bathroom cabinets, finding a spare toothbrush under the sink and handing it to her. "You can use this. I'll be right back."

She brushed her teeth and washed her face, blotting it dry with a towel. When she left the bathroom, Shikamaru was waiting in the hall, a glass of water in his hand. "Here," he said, offering her the drink. She smiled at him appreciatively and took a big gulp, thankful to replenish her parched throat.

They had spread out an assortment of sleeping bags, blankets, and pillows across the living room floor, giving the couch to Ino. After Chouji and Kiba passed out into a deep sleep, Ino shifted on the couch, glancing down at Shikamaru. "Shika," she whispered.

His eyes peered open, looking up at her. "Hm?"

"Come here."

He crawled over to the couch and sat on the floor beside it, throwing an arm across Ino's waist. He rested his head on her rounded chest, plush against his cheek, and lifted his chin to meet her eyes. "Are you comfortable? You know you can sleep in my bed, if you want."

"Where's the fun in that if you won't be sleepin' in it with me?"

"Hn. Don't tempt me."

"Besides, _you_ should be the one to take the bed so you don't have to sleep on the floor."

He shrugged a shoulder. "I don't mind. After all that saké, it shouldn't be too hard for me to fall asleep."

She scrunched her nose. "Blegh, I don't even want to think about alcohol right now."

He chuckled, slipping his hand under her shirt to caress the warm skin of her belly.

After a quiet moment, she whispered, "…Thank you."

His brow rose slightly. "For what?"

"Taking care of me when I was a mess."

He smirked. "You don't have to thank me. I'm always gonna take care of you."

Those words made her stomach flutter, and she lifted her hand to run her fingers through Shikamaru's hair.

He heaved a contented sigh, nuzzling deeper into her breasts, marveling at how soft she was. "…feels like a pillow," he murmured.

She suppressed a giggle. "You better not fall asleep like that."

"I will if you keep that up," he said, indicating the fingers that were massaging his scalp.

She stopped the ministrations of her hand and pushed him off. "Goodnight, Shika."

He leaned in, cupping her face in his hands and bringing their lips together in a soft kiss, before returning to his place on the floor.

To be continued…

* * *

**A/N: I had fun writing for the surrounding characters in this chapter. Things got to be too long though, and I had to cut it off here. Next chapter will begin when they wake up the next morning, slightly hung over lol. And yes, Kiba and Chouji will be leaving, giving Shika and Ino plenty of alone time *grins***

**So, keep reviewing! Tell me what you liked, I love to hear from you :-)**


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